O’s assistant head coach Ross Embleton has praised the impact of Dean Brill and Jobi McAnuff after the duo signed contract extensions with the club on Monday.

The duo arrived at Orient in the summer and their contracts were due to expire at the end of the season, but the O’s have acted swiftly to extend their stays at Brisbane Road.

Goalkeeper Brill has penned a two-year contract extension after establishing himself as the club’s number one under Justin Edinburgh, and Embleton was full of praise for the way the former Luton Town and Colchester United man has conducted himself.

Embleton said: “I think first and foremost, the pair of them have done all the talking they have possibly needed to do with their performances, which has led to them getting these offers of contract extensions.

“Since he (Brill) has been here, he has had a number of different roles and number of different opportunities. I have got to know him really well, personally as well as professionally, as we have worked closely and are both young coaches aspiring to progress.

“One minute he was a coach and a mentor to Charlie (Grainger) and Sam Sargeant at this football club and the next minute, he was the number one playing in front of them. That must have been really tough for him to manage that transition but he has done that extremely well. Then as I say, he goes in goal and the performances he has put in warrant any offer he has been given in signing a new contract.”

Meanwhile, experienced winger McAnuff is currently enjoying his second spell with the O’s, with the former Reading and Watford man signing a new one-year-contract at Brisbane Road having made 28 appearances this season, scoring three times.

The 36-year-old has missed the last two matches through injury, but Embleton was full of praise for the winger’s professionalism.

He said: “I never knew Jobi when I came to the club. But having worked with him this season, I think you’d have to go some to find any player at any level with his enthusiasm, his professionalism and the way he looks after his body etc. All of those things come together to make a fantastic example of a professional. Any young player aspiring to play at any level, without getting to the top like Jobi has, should take a leaf out of his book and try to replicate it in some way, because he is fantastic in everything he does.”